Drum-Shaped Vessels with Textile Motif Possibly 1450 - 1532

These two drum-shaped vessels were made by an artist from the Inca culture. The abstract geometric patterns decorating these vessels are typical of Inca textiles. By painting these patterns onto clay, the artist elevated a traditionally 'feminine' art form to the status of a more permanent and durable object. The Inca empire was highly stratified, and the production of goods was tightly controlled by the state. Vessels such as these would have been used for ritual purposes, perhaps in ceremonies designed to reinforce social hierarchies and express political power. The images create meaning through a system of visual codes, such as the repeated motifs or the limited use of colour, which may carry symbolic weight. Historians researching Inca art and culture draw on a range of resources, from archaeological reports to colonial-era chronicles written by Spanish observers. Through careful study of such sources, we can begin to understand the complex social and political context in which these vessels were created.